Revenue Procedure 2022-21 provides issuers of qualified mortgage bonds, as defined in section 143(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, and issuers of mortgage credit certificates, as defined in section 25(c), with (1) nationwide average purchase prices for residences located in the United States, and (2) average area purchase price safe harbors for residences located in statistical areas in each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

Revenue Procedure 2022-21 will be in IRB 2022-16, dated April 18, 2022.

Announcement 2022-7 is issued pursuant to § 521(b) of Pub. L. 106-170, the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, which requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to the public concerning advance pricing agreements (APAs) and the Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement Program (APMA Program), formerly known as the Advance Pricing Agreement Program (APA Program). This twenty-third report describes the experience, structure, and activities of the APMA Program during calendar year 2021.

Announcement 2022-7 will be in IRB: 2022-15, dated 04/11/2022.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that if they’re unable to file their tax return by this year’s April 18 deadline, there’s an easy, online option to get more time to complete their return.

Taxpayers who need more time to complete their return can request an automatic six-month extension to file. An extension allows for extra time to gather, prepare and file paperwork with the IRS; however, taxpayers should be aware that:

E-File an extension form for free
Individual tax filers, regardless of income, can use IRS Free File to electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension. The fastest and easiest way to get an extension is through IRS Free File on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can electronically request an extension on Form 4868. Filing this form gives taxpayers until Oct. 17to file their tax return. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form and should timely pay any amount due.

Get an extension when making a payment
Other fast, free and easy ways to get an extension include using IRS Direct Pay, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by paying with a credit or debit card or digital wallet. There’s no need to file a separate Form 4868 extension request when making an electronic payment and indicating it’s for an extension. The IRS will automatically count it as an extension.

Important reminders on extensions
The IRS reminds taxpayers that a request for an extension provides extra time to file a tax return, but not extra time to pay any taxes owed. Payments are still due by the original deadline. Taxpayers should file even if they can’t pay the full amount. By filing either a return on time or requesting an extension by the April 18 filing deadline, they’ll avoid the late-filing penalty, which can be 10 times as costly as the penalty for not paying.

Taxpayers who pay as much as they can by the due date, reduce the overall amount subject to penalty and interest charges. The interest rate is currently four percent per year, compounded daily. The late-filing penalty is generally five percent per month and the late-payment penalty is normally 0.5 percent per month.

The IRS will work with taxpayers who cannot pay the full amount of tax they owe. Other options to pay, such as getting a loan or paying by credit card, may help resolve a tax debt. Most people can set up a payment plan on IRS.gov to pay off their balance over time.

Other automatic extensions
Certain eligible taxpayers get more time to file without having to ask for extensions. These include:

The deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file and pay tax owed this year falls on April 18, instead of April 15, because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia. Taxpayers in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file their returns due to the Patriots' Day holiday in those states.

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today reminded teachers and other educators planning ahead for 2022 that they’ll be able to deduct up to $300 of out-of-pocket classroom expenses when they file their federal income tax return next year.

This is the first time the annual limit has increased since the special educator expense deduction was enacted in 2002. For tax-years 2002 through 2021, the limit was $250 per year. This means for people currently filing their 2021 tax returns due in April, the deduction is limited to $250. The limit will rise in $50 increments in future years based on inflation adjustments.

For 2022, an eligible educator can deduct up to $300 of qualifying expenses. If they are married and file a joint return with another eligible educator, the limit rises to $600. But in this situation, not more than $300 for each spouse.

Who qualifies?
Educators can claim this deduction, even if they take the standard deduction. Eligible educators include anyone who is a kindergarten through grade 12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide in a school for at least 900 hours during the school year. Both public- and private-school educators qualify.

What's deductible?
Educators can deduct the unreimbursed cost of:

Qualified expenses don’t include expenses for home schooling or for nonathletic supplies for courses in health or physical education. As with all deductions and credits, the IRS reminds educators to keep good records, including receipts, cancelled checks and other documentation.

Reminder for 2021 tax returns being filed now: Deduction limit is $250
With the tax deadline just around the corner, the IRS reminds any educator still working on their 2021 return that they can claim any qualifying expenses on Schedule 1, Line 11. For 2021, the deduction limit is $250. If they are married and file a joint return with another eligible educator, the limit rises to $500. But in this situation, not more than $250 for each spouse.

Whether a return is self-prepared or prepared with the assistance of a tax professional or trained community volunteer, the IRS urges everyone to file electronically and choose direct deposit for any refund. For details, visit IRS.gov/efile.

In addition, the IRS urges anyone with tax due to choose the speed and convenience of paying electronically, such as with IRS Direct Pay, a free service available only on IRS.gov. For information about this and other payment options, visit IRS.gov/Payments.

This year, the tax-filing deadline is:

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded retirees who turned 72 during the last half of 2021 that, in most cases, Friday, April 1, 2022, is the last day to begin receiving payments from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), 401(k)s and similar workplace retirement plans.

The payments, called required minimum distributions (RMDs), are normally made by the end of the year. But anyone who reached age 72 after June 30, 2021, is covered by a special rule that allows IRA account owners and participants in workplace retirement plans to wait until as late as April 1, 2022, to take their first RMD. In other words, in general, the special April 1 rule applies to IRA owners and other participants in these plans who were born after June 30, 1949.

Two payments in the same year
The April 1 RMD deadline only applies to the required distribution for the first year. For all later years, the RMD must be made by Dec. 31.

This means that taxpayers who turned 72 after June 30, 2021, and receive their first required distribution (for 2021) in 2022 on or before April 1, must receive their second RMD (for 2022) by Dec. 31, 2022. Even though the first distribution is actually the required 2021 distribution, it’s taxable in 2022 and reported on the 2022 tax return - along with the regular 2022 distribution.

Types of retirement plans requiring RMDs
These required distribution rules apply to owners of traditional, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs while the original owner is alive. They also apply to participants in various workplace retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans. RMDs don’t apply to Roth IRAs.

An IRA trustee must either report the amount of the RMD to the IRA owner or offer to calculate it. Often, the trustee shows the RMD amount on Form 5498 in Box 12b. For a 2021 RMD, required by April 1, 2022, the RMD amount is shown on the 2020 Form 5498, normally issued to the owner during the first part of 2021.

Some can delay RMDs
Though the April 1 deadline is mandatory for all owners of traditional IRAs and most participants in workplace retirement plans, some people with workplace plans can wait longer to receive their RMD.

Most participants who are still working for that employer can wait until April 1 of the year after they retire to start receiving these distributions, if their workplace plan allows. This RMD exception does not apply to 5% owners of the business sponsoring the retirement plan or to participants in SEP and SIMPLE IRA plans. See Tax on Excess Accumulation in Publication 575 for details.

Employees of public schools and certain tax-exempt organizations with 403(b) plan accruals before 1987 should check with their employer, plan administrator or provider to see how to treat these accruals.

IRS online tools and publications can help
Many answers to questions about RMDs can be found at RMD FAQs on IRS.gov. Most taxpayers use Table III (Uniform Lifetime) to figure their RMD. Married taxpayers whose spouse is more than 10 years younger and is their only beneficiary use Table II.

Because this and other life expectancy tables were updated for 2022, recipients need to use a different version of this table to figure their 2021 RMD, compared to their 2022 RMD. The required withdrawals in 2022 and future years will generally be smaller.

For a 2021 RMD (due April 1, 2022), use the life expectancy tables in Appendix B of the Pub. 590-B used for preparing 2020 returns. As shown in Table III, the RMD for a person age 72 in 2021 will normally be based on a distribution period of 25.6 years. Divide the Dec. 31, 2020, balance by 25.6 to get the RMD for 2021.

For a 2022 RMD (due Dec. 31, 2022), use the revised life expectancy tables in Appendix B of the Pub. 590-B used for preparing 2021 returns. As shown in the revised Table III, the RMD for a person age 72 in 2022 will normally be based on a distribution period of 27.4 years. Divide the Dec. 31, 2021, balance by 27.4 to get the RMD for 2022.

Pub. 590-B has worksheets, examples and other information that can help anyone figure their RMD. Visit IRS.gov for more information.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued final frequently asked questions (FAQs) for Payments by Indian Tribal Governments and Alaska Native Corporations to Individuals under COVID- Relief Legislation (FS-2022-23). 

These reflect updates to the Draft FAQs, released in May 2021, based on input from tribal government and Alaska Native Corporations leaders.

For purposes of these FAQs, references to tribal members include other eligible recipients of COVID relief payments, such as a tribal member’s dependents. In addition, the answers in FAQs 1-14 relating to the tax treatment and information reporting of payments made from Tribes to tribal members should be considered to apply equally to payments made from ANCs to their shareholders and other eligible recipients, such as an ANC shareholder’s dependents.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), enacted on March 27, 2020, provided a number of emergency relief programs that benefit Indian Tribal Governments (Tribes) and tribal members. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), enacted on December 27, 2020, extended certain COVID-related tax provisions, and provides for appropriations for COVID-19 emergency response and relief for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, including additional funds for Tribes. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), enacted on March 11, 2021, also extended previous programs, and added new relief provisions that benefit Tribes and tribal members. These programs allow Tribes to provide emergency relief payments to tribal members and their families for necessary expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information about reliance is available.

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today updated its frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the third-round Economic Impact Payment (FS-2022-22) PDF.

These FAQs revisions (as noted by date at the end of each revised question) are as follows:

• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic A: General Information
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic B: Eligibility and Calculation of the Third Payment
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic C: Plus-Up Payments
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic D: EIP Cards
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic E: Requesting My Payment
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic F: Social Security, Railroad Retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs benefit recipients
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic G: Receiving My Payment
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic H: Reconciling on Your 2021 Tax Return
• Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic J: Payment Issued but Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Not Received

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

More information about reliance is available.

More information on the Recovery Rebate Credit is available on IRS.gov.

WASHINGTON ― Unclaimed income tax refunds totaling almost $1.5 billion may be waiting for an estimated 1.5 million taxpayers who did not file a 2018 Form 1040 federal income tax return, but people must act before the April tax deadline, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

"The IRS wants to help people who are due refunds but haven't filed their 2018 tax returns yet," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "But people need to act quickly. By law, there's only a three-year window to claim these refunds, which closes with this year’s April tax deadline. We want to help people get these refunds, but they need to file a 2018 tax return before this critical deadline."

The IRS estimates the midpoint for the potential refunds for 2018 to be $813 — that is, half of the refunds are more than $813 and half are less.

In cases where a federal income tax return was not filed, the law provides most taxpayers with a three-year window of opportunity to claim a tax refund. If they do not file a tax return within three years, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. For 2018 tax returns, the window closes April 18, 2022, for most taxpayers. Taxpayers living in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022. The law requires taxpayers to properly address, mail and ensure the tax return is postmarked by that date.

The IRS reminds taxpayers seeking a 2018 tax refund that their checks may be held if they have not filed tax returns for 2019 and 2020. In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS or a state tax agency and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts, such as student loans.

By failing to file a tax return, people stand to lose more than just their refund of taxes withheld or paid during 2018. Many low- and moderate-income workers may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). For 2018, the credit was worth as much as $6,431. The EITC helps individuals and families whose incomes are below certain thresholds. The thresholds for 2018 were:

Tax year 2018 returns must be filed with the IRS center listed on the last page of the current Form 1040 instructions. Current and prior year tax forms (such as the tax year 2018 Form 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ) and instructions are available on the IRS.gov Forms and Publications page or by calling toll-free 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). However, taxpayers can e-file tax year 2019 and later returns.
 
Taxpayers who are missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for the years 2018, 2019 or 2020 should request copies from their employer, bank or other payer. Taxpayers who are unable to get missing forms from their employer or other payer can order a free wage and income transcript at IRS.gov using the Get Transcript Online tool. Alternatively, they can file Form 4506-T to request a wage and income transcript.

A wage and income transcript shows data from information returns received by the IRS, such as Forms W-2, 1098, 1099, Form 5498 and IRA contribution information. Taxpayers can use the information from the transcript to file their tax return. 

State-by-state estimates of individuals who may be due 2018 income tax refunds 

State or District	Estimated Number of Individuals	Median Potential Refund	Total Potential Refunds*
Alabama	24,474	$796	$23,028,940
Alaska	5,515	$969	$6,185,637
Arizona	38,182	$718	$33,577,964
Arkansas	13,727	$762	$12,567,925
California	148,938	$776	$139,660,163
Colorado	30,836	$787	$28,979,238
Connecticut	15,020	$864	$15,243,386
Delaware	5,764	$793	$5,486,810
District of Columbia	4,011	$802	$3,967,443
Florida	98,979	$818	$94,578,672
Georgia	51,034	$735	$46,467,229
Hawaii	8,199	$873	$8,317,290
Idaho	7,026	$686	$5,982,194
Illinois	55,767	$840	$54,850,831
Indiana	34,770	$839	$33,534,332
Iowa	14,843	$840	$14,255,896
Kansas	14,813	$822	$14,125,094
Kentucky	20,030	$836	$19,137,456
Louisiana	24,292	$793	$23,609,986
Maine	5,851	$772	$5,241,197
Maryland	30,224	$814	$29,637,361
Massachusetts	32,234	$908	$33,569,901
Michigan	49,252	$812	$47,228,525
Minnesota	22,685	$771	$20,920,613
Mississippi	13,007	$730	$11,753,943
Missouri	33,858	$783	$31,284,396
Montana	4,914	$758	$4,560,800
Nebraska	7,647	$809	$7,204,243
Nevada	17,919	$792	$16,896,077
New Hampshire	6,755	$920	$7,022,858
New Jersey	39,046	$872	$39,628,243
New Mexico	9,893	$804	$9,613,090
New York	77,315	$896	$79,825,137
North Carolina	50,069	$776	$45,990,818
North Dakota	4,011	$893	$4,139,793
Ohio	56,285	$793	$51,974,509
Oklahoma	21,529	$824	$21,075,857
Oregon	23,552	$715	$20,729,323
Pennsylvania	59,459	$865	$58,993,909
Rhode Island	4,011	$893	$4,099,614
South Carolina	18,063	$720	$16,288,951
South Dakota	3,872	$858	$3,718,677
Tennessee	30,693	$788	$28,459,178
Texas	145,616	$856	$147,059,248
Utah	11,644	$757	$10,648,614
Vermont	3,089	$832	$2,905,786
Virginia	41,663	$776	$39,285,545
Washington	42,272	$863	$43,022,251
West Virginia	6,968	$880	$7,146,354
Wisconsin	21,753	$755	$19,535,856
Wyoming	3,258	$912	$3,486,358
Totals	1,514,627	$813	$1,456,503,511

* Excluding credits.

Today, the IRS published the latest executive column, “A Closer Look,” which features Ken Corbin, Commissioner, Wage & Investment Division and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer, discussing why this is the right time to consider a career with the IRS. “We’re looking to recruit and hire employees for a variety of positions, from entry-level to those in specialized fields and even management,” said Corbin. “In addition to the positions available now in this hiring surge, you might be surprised to learn about some of the interesting jobs in our agency that support innovation, combat crime and terrorism, help taxpayers and ensure equality and fairness.” Read more here. Read the Spanish version here.

“A Closer Look” is a column from IRS executives that covers a variety of timely issues of interest to taxpayers and the tax community. It also provides a detailed look at key issues affecting everything from IRS operations and employees to issues involving taxpayers and tax professionals.

Check here for prior posts and new updates.

WASHINGTON – Even though the Internal Revenue Service issues most refunds in less than 21 days for taxpayers who filed electronically and chose direct deposit, some refunds may take longer.

Many different factors can affect the timing of a refund after the IRS receives a return. A  manual review may be necessary when a return has errors, is incomplete or is affected by identity theft or fraud.

Other returns can also take longer to process, including when a return needs a correction to the Child Tax Credit or Recovery Rebate Credit amount, includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit, or includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation , which could take up to 14 weeks to process.

The fastest way to get a tax refund is by filing electronically and choosing direct deposit. Taxpayers who don’t have a bank account can find out more on how to open an account at an FDIC-Insured bank or the National Credit Union Locator Tool.

The IRS cautions taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills. Some returns may require additional review and may take longer. Also, remember to take into consideration the time it takes for a financial institution to post the refund to an account or to receive it by mail.

To check the status of a refund, taxpayers should use the Where’s My Refund? tool on IRS.gov. Information for the most current tax year filed is generally available within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of a taxpayer’s e-filed return. If they filed a paper return, taxpayers should allow four weeks before checking the status.

The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail when more information is needed to process a return. IRS phone and walk-in representatives can only research the status of a refund if it has been:

Before filing a return, taxpayers should make IRS.gov their first stop to find online tools to help get the information they need to file. The tools are easy-to-use and available anytime. Millions of people use them to help file and pay taxes, find information about their accounts, get answers to tax questions and get tips on filing a return.

2020 tax returns
Waiting on a 2020 tax return to be processed? People whose tax returns from 2020 have not yet been processed should still file their 2021 tax returns by the April due date or request an extension to file.

Those filing electronically in this group need their Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from their most recent tax return. For those waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed, make sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's AGI on the 2021 tax return. Visit Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return for more details.

Also, when self-preparing a tax return and filing electronically, taxpayers must sign and validate the electronic tax return by entering their prior-year Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) or prior-year Self-Select PIN (SSP). Those who electronically filed last year may have created a five digit Self-Select PIN to use as their electronic signature. Generally, tax software automatically enters the information for returning customers. Taxpayers who are using a software product for the first time may have to enter this information.

Taxpayers should review the special instructions to validate an electronically filed 2021 tax return if their 2020 return has not been processed or they used the Non-Filers tool in 2021 to register for an advance Child Tax Credit payment or third Economic Impact Payment in 2021.